No. 2 Duke men’s basketball dominates UNC in rivalry victory
No. 2 Duke wasted no time asserting control in its 87-70 victory over North Carolina on Saturday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils (19-2, 11-0 ACC) jumped out to a 16-0 run early and led by as many as 30, overwhelming the Tar Heels (13-10, 6-5 ACC) with size and sharp shooting.
Freshman star Cooper Flagg stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while Kon Knueppel poured in 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Tyrese Proctor added 17 points and three assists as Duke shot 53% from the field and knocked down 10 three-pointers.
UNC struggled to find any rhythm against Duke’s defense, committing 14 turnovers that led to 19 Blue Devil points. RJ Davis and Drake Powell each scored 12, but the Tar Heels shot just 30% in the first half and trailed 47-25 at the break.
North Carolina made a late push, trimming the deficit to 16 in the closing minutes, but Duke never let the game slip. The Blue Devils remain perfect in ACC play and will look to extend their 15-game win streak against Syracuse on Wednesday. North Carolina plays Pitt next Saturday.
🏀 HALFTIME: Duke 47, UNC 25
Duke put on a clinic in the first half, shooting 56% from the field while holding UNC to just 30% shooting and 3-of-11 from deep.
The Blue Devils’ defense forced nine Tar Heel turnovers, converting them into 11 points. Cooper Flagg (13 points, 5 assists, 4, rebounds, 2 steals) sealed the dominant half with a buzzer-beating fadeaway, while Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel helped fuel a 20+ point lead.
RIVALRY GAME DAY 👀
Duke vs. UNC is here! The No. 2 Blue Devils host the Tar Heels tonight from Cameron Indoor at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Duke has yet to lose a game in ACC play (10-0) while North Carolina looks to pull off the road upset. Follow this page for live updates throughout this rivalry matchup.
